12 New Ports Opened in East Indonesia

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta-Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan inaugurated the opening of 12 ports in the province of North Sulawesi on Sunday, May 1, 2016. The launching ceremony was centered in Tahuna Sangihe Port, which lies on the border of Indonesia and the Philippines.

“The opening of these 12 seaports is the realization of the government’s marine toll program that is aimed at reducing the price of goods, which has been a burden for the society,” said Jonan.

“Sea toll is a freight program with fixed schedule, which can crunch the disparity of product prices in the eastern parts of Indonesia,” he said.

Jonan said that port constructions are also the government’s way of committing to the ‘Nawa Cita’ program in the maritime sector.

The 12 seaports that were inaugurated on Sunday are Tahuna, Petta, Bukide, Kalama, Lipang, Kahakitang, Kawaluso, Matutuang, Kawio, Sawang, Buhias, and Amurang. Eleven of them each has a capacity of 1,000 dead weight tonnage (DWT), except for Tahuna Port, which has the largest of 5,000 DWT.

The minister said that the sea toll fare program will begin in late this month, going from Makassar, Tahuna, Lirung to Halmahera. “The marine toll program will continue to sail the established route routinely, whether there is a cargo or not, so that the transport goods will not be stalled,” he said.

Jonan also promised to build a variety of port facilities in Tahuna. He also pledged to develop the Tahuna Naha Airport in Sangihe Regency; extending the airport’s runway and build passengers’ lounges.